Broadway and Basketball... Immer- 24 Feb 2014

So if you have not heard, Yes Elder Emery is my trainer. It was rather funny arrangement.  I got to Deutschland and his trainer (who is now an AP) was talking about how awesome the Trainers were and so I asked them well who are the trainers and the moment he said Elder Emery I was like "That is my trainer." hahaha so when thursday and the pairing meeting rolled around when Elder Emery's picture and mine came up one the screen paired together, we just started laughing because we both just knew we were going to get paired together.  Elder Emery actually called the other Elders in our district and told them he was going to train me.  So when we saw it, we were so begeistert! (excited)   

Well we are at the University which we work with all the JAE (YSA), as well as chillling with all of the students from one of Darmstadts many universities. I couldn't ask for a better place to start out. There is also another Elder who is being trained here he has been out for 6 weeks longer then I have.  It is so surreal.

Who would have ever thought that the weird singer kid would be chilling with Mr. Basketball himself, and listening to broadway showtunes... Yes Elder Emery loves broadway. I was flabbergasted!  So yes at night we sit and belt Lion king at the top of our voices! oh and Anastasia for days! We will possibly be making our own band!

SO Experience time...

So my first day I was on the train and there was kid who had a guitar and he was practicing chords on one of the hand rails and of course I was like MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to speak!!!!!! So in my little German I began to speak... He looked at me really weird and said, "You can speak english." yes he spoke fluent english probably better then I do... So we began to talk and it was so exciting!!!!!!!!! haha his name is Marvin and we are trying to get an appointment with him and Jam on the guitar and teach the Gospel. haha that is how we missionaries work. ;)  

Nächste! So yesterday I got on this train and we saw these 4 girls.  Well I immediately thought "we Have to speak with them!" and why you ask? BECAUSE THEY HAD A UKULELE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so cool so yea I ended up just jamming on the Uke with these girls from Madrid, Spain! It was cool! we got to talk them a little bit about the gospel before they got off! So cool!

Nächste! David... So we were waiting at this train stop and we are there with another lady and a 17 year old boy.  Well the boy goes and asks the lady for a cigarette and they start smoking together. Well I was absolutely in shock because he was smoking and It was just so sad! but then out of the blue this kid walks up to us and says "Your mormons, good I am interested." We were floored! he was like I need the truth and I think you have it!  So right there with him smoking and everything we taught him most of the first lesson! Es war so TOLL!!!!! Missionary Work is so flipping awesome! I have never felt so good just speaking to people!!  SO we gave this kid David a book of mormon and told him to call. we couldn't get his number because We had to make our bus so we are praying he calls!

Lezte! We were talking to this guy from Greece! and he mentioned I play basketball... hahaha I have never seen a person get more excited then Elder Emery at this moment! haha Elder Emery told him all about his basketball experiences and I filled in the holes when Elder Emery's humility got in the way of the truth ;) (Elder Emery is so incredible! and Humility is something he was sent here to teach me.)  

SO yes this week was way exciting I wish I could tell you everything but alas Ich habe kein zeit. So Ich muss dich verlassen!  I love you all and hope you are doing fantastic! Keep me up to date love you all!

Keine Angst.

Elder Nilson

For those who have asked……

Jacob's Address: This is where you can send letters.

Kirche Jesu Christi HLT

Elder Jacob Nilson

breslauer Platz 4a

64287 Darmstadt

Germany/Deutschland

Packages: To the mission home

Kirche Jesu Christi

Elder Jacob Nilson

Corneliusstraße 18

60325 Frankfurt a. Main

Germany/Deutschland

Lezte Woche- 17 Feb. 2014

Wow... Sechs Woche.... I cannot believe I am going to Germany... Wow Ja Ich habe anbischonn Angst aber Ich weiter gehe. So quick story last night we had this awesome devotional and with none other then... HOLLANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes plural, elder holland and his son Matthew Holland was there) so yes what a way to go out! and of course the Whole meeting was on Joseph Smith intermingled with several Choral numbers sung by the UVU choir which was just Unbelievable.  So yes I would say he kind of went out with a BANG! I was so happy that I could be there! Loved it!  I have never had my testimony grow so much in all of my life.  So yes before that devotional, I had a petrifying fear but after not so much. I am still scared and I know that Liza speaks better English then my german right now... But I know I have the lord on my side and I can do anything with him.  That is what the MTC teaches you... it has really been My Time with Christ (MTC).  I have a testimony of this restored gospel. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of god and thru him the book of Mormon was brought to pass which is the word of God.  I know Families can be together for eternity. And by the time I leave Germany In two years, All of Germany Will know that even if I have to sing at the Top of my lungs every day to tell them (which I was planning on doing anyways ;)) I Love this work. I love my family.  I love This Gospel. and I can't wait to teach This in Germany.

Ich weiß, dass Joseph ein Propheten Gottes ist. Ich weiß, dass Ich mit meiner Familie für ewigkeit Leben kann.  Ich weiß, dass Gott mit uns spricht Heute. Ich weiß, dass Wir rein sein können durch das Sühnopfer.  Ich liebe dieses Evangelium. Ich bin ein Missionar Der Kirche Jesu Christi Der Heiligen Der Letzten Tage.

Elder Beaca Nilson

God gave me sisters... 10 Feb. 2014

So everything happens for a reason and I as continue with my mission I learn that this is true more and more each day.  So while I was thinking and missing the Family this week I began to realize why I have the family that I have.  

Kate: God gave me Katie because he knew that I would need someone to help me get on a mission and be the example for the family.  Katie is also great because she has been able to ease me into missionary life as I get to see her basically everyday.  

Josie: God gave me Josie because he knew that I was to thick-skulled to discover my talents with out someone pushing towards them.  Without Josie, I would have never discovered my love of singing and all thing music.  I would also be short a best friend with whom I could freely express myself about my dreams and know that she would always be fully supportive.

Emma: God gave me Emma because he knew that I needed someone to be a big brother to and someone that I could harass and laugh with.  He also knew that I needed some to be able to throw around and practice lift with.

And then there is... Sabrina...

For those of you who don't know, when Sabrina was born I cried my eyes out and was furious (to the point of trying to runaway in the Hospital parking lot) because I wanted a little brother.  So yes I have struggled with Sabrina since her birth.  I don't know if we don't get along because we are SO different or if we don't get along because we are SO similar. But we have always struggled with our relationship, and Then BAM! the MISSION! I have finally realized why I have Sabrina and that is I know I have the best cheerleader in the world back at home and if I can get along with her I can get along with anybody!! (as you can tell still having those comp struggles ;)). 

So other then that, The week has been awesome I finally had one of those fantastic MTC sundays that everyone has told me about!! It was unbelievable!!!!! Stephen A. Allen came back this week and based his entire talk on the Mormon Homefront add campaign. It was so great!!!!!! And then afterwards we got to watch a recorded talk by Elder Bednar called the character of Christ.  I have never had my testimony strengthened so much in my entire life!!!!!!!!!  I love it here and I will be sad to go.  I will be 100% honest, I am terrified to go to Deutschland aber I am excited but I am super scared... But alas I know that I will have the Lord with me and with him I can do all things.  I love you all and miss you all like crazy!!!

SETH, MAC, AND CJ WRITE ME OR I WILL FIND YOU AND BEAT YOU!!!!!!! I am leaving the MTC on Tuesday, the 18th and I will come find you... Hahaha jk Ich liebe dich aber WRITE ME!!!!

Tchuss,

Elder Beaca Nilson

When the going gets tough...

So I have always been taught to be tough.  I am a man its kind of what we do.  Whether it was boxing matches with Seth and Mac (one of which I am pretty sure Seth broke my sternum), Yard work with Seth, Or running 17's with Uncle Vaughn I was taught to push through.  And boy oh boy did I need that this week.  

So first a couple stories.  When I was younger and Chase was training me in basketball, there was a day where I kept dropping his passes.  Chase was frustrated and decided to teach me to catch.  He put me up against a wall and through the ball as hard as he could at me, it quickly became a game of dodgeball with Chase yelling, "Catch THE BALL!!!" and when I tried the ball hit my hands which were up for more protection than an attempt to catch it.  The ball burst through my hands and headed straight for the next biggest target . My Nose. I thought my nose was broken. Chase walked over to the now sobbing me and said with all the love in the world, "Get up. Were going again."  and that is what I did.

Story number two.  Austin Crossley, asked me two work with him about three years ago. When he did I thought we would just be cleaning pools everyday. WRONG!!!! so when Austin filled up a wheelbarrow full of gravel at the tender age of 15 this was a challenge and one that I did not want to complete. Also I had to run this wheelbarrow, uphill, (both ways jk ;)) while Austin sat in a tractor laughing at me.  But I learned something special that day and everyday I worked with Austin and that is to "Just DO it."  There is no sense of whining or trying to get out of it you just "go and do"  whenever I would call Austin in the morning and say that I was not coming to work he had one reply and that was, "Shut up, I will be there in 15."  and I would just go.

So how does that apply to this week?  Well lets talk about my comp. I love the kid more than any person I have ever met and because of that I want to strangle him literally about every ten seconds.  These feelings climax this week when we were teaching a lesson and our "investigator" began bible bashing with me, I looked to my comp for help and guess what he was doing... Study notecards with obscure German words on the... which he of course STOLE from another missionary. So after that little incident we had a little chat... about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I have never been that angry in my entire life the fury that was unleashed upon can only be compared that of Moses when he found the Golden Calf after returning from Mt. Sinai.  But of course after such fury comes great miracles.  That night when I was feeling terrible for chewing out my comp.  He actually came and APOLOGIZED to ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was about to laugh because I kind of let loose on him (but it was good chastisement).  He told me he would start talking and leading the lessons and asked me if we could only speak German.  I was almost in tears I was so happy!!!!!!! So with our new found determination we began to plan and plan for our bible bashing investigator.  And with the spirit and Das Buch Mormon, we taught the crap out him!!!!!! he was left speechless and I just sat there laughing at him.  So we committed him to some of the Book of Mormon and left.  Then on Saturday we went back and began to teach him.  We were planning on him reading the verses we gave him but he said "I have to read a book from cover to cover. I can't jump around" so we were still excited that he had read.  So I asked him if he had prayed and he said "no" I was about to start screaming again but then he said, "But this book is from god." And then it hit what us germans call a Geister Schlagen (Spirit Punch) I have never been so happy in my entire LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't even understand what I was feeling! That Feeling beats any performance I have ever had!!!!!!!!! Sorry Valjean der Hieligen Geiste ist SO VIEL TOLLER!!!!!! (that is made up German, but Mac you can use that and Mang will give you a A) I realized that is what the Gospel is about and that is why we do this!!! when we push through adverstiy, when we "Get Up" and go again that is when the Lord makes of stronger! 

I finally understand why the Lord gave me this Nike obsession and that is because He knew when I would go on my mission I would need to...

"Just Do It."

Elder Nilson